Liberty’s fall sports are officially underway all over campus, and we will provide weekly updates on all of the teams throughout the semester.
CROSS COUNTRY
Liberty junior Nicholas Kiprotich has qualified for the 2023 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. He earned his trip to Charlottesville, VA with a 17th place finish at Friday’s NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships. The 2023 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships will take place on Nov. 18 at Panorama Farms in Charlottesville. The men’s 10K is scheduled for 11:10 a.m. and will be televised live on ESPNU.
Kiprotich is Liberty’s first men’s runner to reach the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships since Azaria Kirwa made it in 2018.
FIELD HOCKEY (17-3, 7-0 Big East)
Syracuse scored the equalizer with 2:21 to play in regulation, and would score the game winner in the 63rd minute to lift the Orange past No. 7 Liberty by a score of 2-1 on Friday in the Sweet 16 of the 2023 NCAA Field Hockey Championship. Liberty sees its season end with a 17-3 record following the loss.
WOMEN’S SOCCER (16-3-1, 5-2-1 CUSA)
The Liberty women’s soccer program saw its season come to an end on Friday with a 2-1 loss to host and No. 4 seed Georgia in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Womens’ Soccer Championship.
Liberty, Conference USA champions, were facing off against the SEC Champion Georgia Bulldogs in the program’s eighth appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
The Lady Flames enjoyed a historic season that saw Liberty earn an 11-0 record to begin the season, own a 24-match unbeaten streak dating back to 2022, match the program’s single season win record, and secure its eighth conference championship in program history.
MEN’S SOCCER (9-6-3, 4-4-2 OVC)
No. 3 seed Liberty lost to No. 6 seed Eastern Illinois in the Ohio Valley Men’s Soccer Quarterfinals on penalty kicks, 3-1. Despite outshooting Eastern Illinois, 26-8, during regulation and two 10-minute over time periods, Liberty was never able to score. Liberty’s season comes to an end at 9-6-3.
VOLLEYBALL (15-13, 8-8 CUSA)
The Lady Flames were swept on the road by UTEP in two matches over the weekend to conclude the regular season. The Miners won Friday’s match with a 3-1 edge and swept Liberty on Saturday to finish off an unbeaten home schedule.
Liberty has received the fifth seed in the upcoming CUSA Volleyball Championship. These two teams will meet on Friday at 1 p.m. at Liberty Arena in the quarterfinals.
